SENATE DOCKET, NO. 568        FILED ON: 1/16/2013

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 643

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Sonia Chang-Diaz

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to equal access in hospitals, public transportation, nursing homes, supermarkets, retail establishments, and all other places open to the public.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Sonia Chang-Diaz

Second Suffolk

Benjamin B. Downing

Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden

Cynthia S. Creem

First Middlesex and Norfolk

John F. Keenan

Norfolk and Plymouth

William N. Brownsberger

Second Suffolk and Middlesex

Michael J. Barrett

Third Middlesex

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

Kenneth J. Donnelly

Fourth Middlesex

Sal N. DiDomenico

Middlesex and Suffolk

Stanley C. Rosenberg

Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester

Harriette L. Chandler

First Worcester

Karen E. Spilka

Second Middlesex and Norfolk

Patricia D. Jehlen

Second Middlesex

Thomas M. McGee

Third Essex

James T. Welch

Hampden

Daniel A. Wolf

Cape and Islands

Carl M. Sciortino, Jr.

34th Middlesex

Byron Rushing

9th Suffolk

Martha M. Walz

8th Suffolk

Brian R. Mannal

2nd Barnstable

Denise Andrews

2nd Franklin

John J. Lawn, Jr.

10th Middlesex

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

Thomas P. Conroy

13th Middlesex

Marjorie C. Decker

25th Middlesex

Benjamin Swan

11th Hampden

Mary S. Keefe

15th Worcester


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 568        FILED ON: 1/16/2013

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 643

By Ms. Chang-Diaz, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 643) of Sonia Chang-Diaz, Benjamin B. Downing, Cynthia S. Creem, John F. Keenan and other members of the General Court for legislation relative to equal access to public places regardless of gender identity.  The Judiciary.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

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An Act relative to equal access in hospitals, public transportation, nursing homes, supermarkets, retail establishments, and all other places open to the public.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1.  Section 92A of chapter 272 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “sex”, in line 9, the following words:- , gender identity.

SECTION 2. Said section 92A of said chapter 272, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting the following sentence at the end of the second paragraph:-

Any public accommodation including without limitation any entity that offers the provision of goods, services, or access to the public that lawfully segregates or separates access to such public accommodation or other entity based on a person’s sex shall grant all persons admission to and the full enjoyment of such public accommodation or other entity consistent with the person’s gender identity.

SECTION 3. Section 98 of said chapter 272, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “sex”, in line 2, the following words:- , gender identity.

SECTION 4.  The term gender identity as used herein shall have the meaning as set forth in clause 59, Section 7 of chapter 4 of the General Laws.

SECTION 5. The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, established by section fifty-six of chapter six, is authorized to adopt, promulgate, amend, and rescind rules and regulations or to formulate policies and make recommendations to effectuate the purposes of this Act.